diff --git a/src/remote/codec.cpp b/src/remote/codec.cpp
index 31e87b2..ab89e31 100644
--- a/src/remote/codec.cpp
+++ b/src/remote/codec.cpp
@@ -1518,12 +1518,11 @@ void BlockingServerTCPTransportCodec::send(ByteBuffer* buffer,
         buffer->putShort(0x7FFF);
 
         // list of authNZ plugin names
-        map<string, SecurityPlugin::shared_pointer>& securityPlugins = _context->getSecurityPlugins();
+        const Context::securityPlugins_t& securityPlugins = _context->getSecurityPlugins();
         vector<string> validSPNames;
         validSPNames.reserve(securityPlugins.size());
 
-        for (map<string, SecurityPlugin::shared_pointer>::const_iterator iter =
-                    securityPlugins.begin();
+        for (Context::securityPlugins_t::const_iterator iter(securityPlugins.begin());
                 iter != securityPlugins.end(); iter++)
         {
             SecurityPlugin::shared_pointer securityPlugin = iter->second;
@@ -1616,8 +1615,7 @@ void BlockingServerTCPTransportCodec::authNZInitialize(const std::string& securi
     // check if plug-in name is valid
     SecurityPlugin::shared_pointer securityPlugin;
 
-    map<string, SecurityPlugin::shared_pointer>::iterator spIter =
-        _context->getSecurityPlugins().find(securityPluginName);
+    Context::securityPlugins_t::const_iterator spIter(_context->getSecurityPlugins().find(securityPluginName));
     if (spIter != _context->getSecurityPlugins().end())
         securityPlugin = spIter->second;
     if (!securityPlugin)
@@ -1921,13 +1919,12 @@ void BlockingClientTCPTransportCodec::authNZInitialize(const std::vector<std::st
 {
     if (!offeredSecurityPlugins.empty())
     {
-        map<string, SecurityPlugin::shared_pointer>& availableSecurityPlugins =
-            _context->getSecurityPlugins();
+        const Context::securityPlugins_t& availableSecurityPlugins(_context->getSecurityPlugins());
 
         for (vector<string>::const_iterator offeredSP = offeredSecurityPlugins.begin();
                 offeredSP != offeredSecurityPlugins.end(); offeredSP++)
         {
-            map<string, SecurityPlugin::shared_pointer>::iterator spi = availableSecurityPlugins.find(*offeredSP);
+            Context::securityPlugins_t::const_iterator spi(availableSecurityPlugins.find(*offeredSP));
             if (spi != availableSecurityPlugins.end())
             {
                 SecurityPlugin::shared_pointer securityPlugin = spi->second;
diff --git a/src/remote/pv/remote.h b/src/remote/pv/remote.h
index 2640067..dcfc378 100644
--- a/src/remote/pv/remote.h
+++ b/src/remote/pv/remote.h
@@ -317,11 +317,12 @@ public:
 
     virtual Configuration::const_shared_pointer getConfiguration() = 0;
 
+    typedef std::map<std::string, std::tr1::shared_ptr<SecurityPlugin> > securityPlugins_t;
     /**
      * Get map of available security plug-ins.
      * @return the map of available security plug-ins
      */
-    virtual std::map<std::string, std::tr1::shared_ptr<SecurityPlugin> >& getSecurityPlugins() = 0;
+    virtual const securityPlugins_t& getSecurityPlugins() = 0;
 
 
     ///
diff --git a/src/remote/pv/security.h b/src/remote/pv/security.h
index 072c955..b227de6 100644
--- a/src/remote/pv/security.h
+++ b/src/remote/pv/security.h
@@ -423,12 +423,12 @@ public:
         return thisInstance;
     }
 
-    std::map<std::string, std::tr1::shared_ptr<SecurityPlugin> >& getClientSecurityPlugins()
+    Context::securityPlugins_t& getClientSecurityPlugins()
     {
         return m_clientSecurityPlugins;
     }
 
-    std::map<std::string, std::tr1::shared_ptr<SecurityPlugin> >& getServerSecurityPlugins()
+    Context::securityPlugins_t& getServerSecurityPlugins()
     {
         return m_serverSecurityPlugins;
     }
@@ -448,8 +448,8 @@ public:
 private:
     SecurityPluginRegistry();
 
-    std::map<std::string, std::tr1::shared_ptr<SecurityPlugin> > m_clientSecurityPlugins;
-    std::map<std::string, std::tr1::shared_ptr<SecurityPlugin> > m_serverSecurityPlugins;
+    Context::securityPlugins_t m_clientSecurityPlugins;
+    Context::securityPlugins_t m_serverSecurityPlugins;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/src/remoteClient/clientContextImpl.cpp b/src/remoteClient/clientContextImpl.cpp
index 9c03dc5..2c64e3b 100644
--- a/src/remoteClient/clientContextImpl.cpp
+++ b/src/remoteClient/clientContextImpl.cpp
@@ -4472,7 +4472,7 @@ private:
         }
     }
 
-    std::map<std::string, std::tr1::shared_ptr<SecurityPlugin> >& getSecurityPlugins() OVERRIDE FINAL
+    const securityPlugins_t& getSecurityPlugins() OVERRIDE FINAL
     {
         return SecurityPluginRegistry::instance().getClientSecurityPlugins();
     }
diff --git a/src/server/pv/serverContextImpl.h b/src/server/pv/serverContextImpl.h
index 7e03dcf..b01349e 100644
--- a/src/server/pv/serverContextImpl.h
+++ b/src/server/pv/serverContextImpl.h
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public:
     Transport::shared_pointer getSearchTransport() OVERRIDE FINAL;
     Configuration::const_shared_pointer getConfiguration() OVERRIDE FINAL;
     TransportRegistry* getTransportRegistry() OVERRIDE FINAL;
-    std::map<std::string, std::tr1::shared_ptr<SecurityPlugin> >& getSecurityPlugins() OVERRIDE FINAL;
+    const securityPlugins_t& getSecurityPlugins() OVERRIDE FINAL;
 
     virtual void newServerDetected() OVERRIDE FINAL;
 
diff --git a/src/server/serverContext.cpp b/src/server/serverContext.cpp
index 7cd9b62..0812fcc 100644
--- a/src/server/serverContext.cpp
+++ b/src/server/serverContext.cpp
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ epicsTimeStamp& ServerContextImpl::getStartTime()
 }
 
 
-std::map<std::string, std::tr1::shared_ptr<SecurityPlugin> >& ServerContextImpl::getSecurityPlugins()
+const Context::securityPlugins_t& ServerContextImpl::getSecurityPlugins()
 {
     return SecurityPluginRegistry::instance().getServerSecurityPlugins();
 }